Knitting group creates hundreds of poppies for ambitious Royal British Legion display in Skegness

The Knit and Natter group meet weekly at the Windmill cafe in Burgh le Marsh and started making poppies after hearing about the Royal British Legion appeal.

Louise Clarkson, secretary of the Skegness RBL branch, launched the appeal in the Skegness Standard earlier this month and went along to the the knitters’ weekly meeting to see how they are getting on.

"They have already made 200 which is amazing,” said Lousise. “The camapign is going great. We have got the approval from East Lindsey District Council to use the ground around Clock Tower which is brilliant.

"We have also had a donation from someone who has sadly passed away and we are going to use it to buy a silouette of a tommy with a gun which with the setting of the poppies will look really dramatic.

”We do need thousands of poppies now, though, because we finally went along to look at the area around the Clock Tower to see how much grass is there – and there is a lot of grass.”

June Fieldman, 95, started the Knit and Natter Group six months ago and, after a suggestion from member Annie Shelley, now has 12 ladies eagerly knitting poppies.Annie explained. “I saw it advertised so I printed off some patterns and the ladies thought it would be a good idea to get involved as it is a good cause.

"June couldn’t see her pattern so I did hers in a big font and she has already done a bag full.”

Also busy knitting was the eldest member, 98-year-old Eve Lister. “I feel like I’ve been kniting all my life,” she said.

“I started knitting during the war and carried on with intervals.

"It takes me about a day to make a poppy – but I have had the odd disaster when it takes longer.”

The Knit and Natter group meets on Wednesdays at the Wndmill cafe in Burgh le Marsh from 10am to 12noon.

June added: "We’ll keep going until they get enough – any donations of red wool would be welcome.”